Track switch



June 9, 1953 A. J. Mou-:ISH 2,641,690

TRACK SWITCH Filed Mam 29. 194s s sheets-sheet 1 2z zo g MMMMMM 33 32 ATTDRNEYB A. J. MOLEISH June 9, 1953 TRACK SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29. 1948 A'ITDRN EYS Patented June 9, 1953 UNITED AS'I'AIE S NT COFFICE TRACK SWTCH rhiala J. iveLeishil/Iisville,'a. Applicaties Maten 29, 171649 2 claims. (c1. aislado) 1 c This invention relates to railroad track switches.

' a Itis an object of the present 'invention to provide ay railroad track switch which is operatedby an` electricv motorlocated at the' switch and controlled from aA ldistant point'wherein the operating parts arepos'itive in operation, free of lost motion,-and connected tothe movable track 'throigha heavy'spring device'to cushion any" overrun of the operating parts. y

s another object ofthe present invention to provide a'switchoperating' mechanism with which 'engagement yis Amade with the track at different `A difstar'ices"along4 -its length Iand lwherein the con- "hecti'ons 'are' such thatithe vdiierence in moveeht'fromfohe point tothe other is compensated or,`"whe'reby`to' provid'an arrangement having multiple' 'connections Iwith' the lmoving portions of thdtrack' and' to 'render the control mechanism more safe.

Other objects of. rthe"present` invention are to "provide a track switchco'nstruction which can he operated from a distancafwhich simple, in-

expensive to' manufacture, of minimum parts,

rugged and sturdy` andfelicient in operation.

For other "objects and for a better understandingfof the inventionireference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the 'accompanying drawing, in which Fg. 1. is a top planview of ya track constructionfapplying a switch with control mechanism embodying the features of"the present 'invention. w

VFig. y2 isA a sectionalview--takenfthrugh the track construction and generally on line 2-2 vof Fig. 1.-

Y f Fig.' 3 is a' fragmentary vand detail sectional Yview taken through theconnection of one 'of the tie members with the rail. Y

Fig. 4 isla fragmentary and sectional view taken generally on line 4--4 of Fig. 3. y

V"Figl 5 isA a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig` 6 is a sectional view taken through the track'ahd looking upon one ofthe guide elements,

the view being taken" on line 6?-6 of Fig.. 7.. y l. Fig. 'lisa fragmentary plan view looking down oponthe track and upon thev guide elements. .Q -(Fig. 8 is av wiring diagramlofv the control circuit utilized with the construction shownin Figs.

f '2 the" railroad` switch" of this invention includes elongated tapering base or sole plates I and I-fI,

`which *are provided'with cross'bars I2 and I3gat 23 and V24, as shown in Figurel.

'the wide ends that' 'are welded to the permanent 'rails after the switch is installed, and intermediate crossv bars i4 on which the movable rail 'sections slide. The narrow'ends of the base plates are 'alsowelded to the ends of the main line rails i5 and I6 that are hinged to the switch rails I1 'and 1B, and the rails I'I and I3 are adapted to register with'mainline' rails I9 Aand 20 at' the 'opposite side or with the spur rails -2i'and 22. The ends of the rails "I5"and IB, and Vl and I8 'are connected bythe usual 'switch rail connectors Bumpers 31 are `provided at opposite rsides of the rails I9 and 2 i. and 20 and 22 tol assure registration ofthe rails. y

"The rail sections I1 and I8 are' slidably mounted on the cross bars I4"and rail engaging 'lugs' 25 4exter'iding vupward from 'base anges 26k are pro- "vid'ed on the'en'ds of" the cross" bars'to properly position the rails" in 'the' main 'operating and 'switching positions.

The switchrails Il and'IS are connected' at a pluralityoiC points by transversebars 2'! on whichV travelers '28 'are' mounted through 'openings 29 in' hubs 30 and.: the travelers are provided with threaded sleeves 3I through whichfscrews 32 `on Vv transverse shafts"33,"tha't` extend' under the rails, "are" held.A The travelers airev maintained'in the center of the track by springsfi35'and 36. on the carried'by; the: base plates I Il and I I respectively.

f At one sideof the tracki'isa'base 4I onl which ManY electric motor 43 is mounted,'and the motor' is .provided with a pinion 44 that meshes with .afgear 45 'on a longitudinally vexten'di'ng'shaft 46i which is journaledin bearings 41 on thebase 4I. Worm gears 48'aref provided on theends of each'ofthe shafts '33 on' which the screwsitz 'are mounted, and these.`worm gears mesh' withtworms 49'on the shaft'f46 `so that as theshaft46'isrotated Theerdsof vthe transverse rods`2 'I` are provided with threaded sockets 5I into which threaded studs 52 on brackets 53 are threaded as shown in Figure 3, and the brackets are secured to the rails by bolts 54.

The inside rail 2| of the spur crosses the rail 20 at a point remotely situated from the switch and, as illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, a hinged rail 6| is provided at the intersection of the rail 2| with the main rail 20, with the movable end of the rail 6| adapted to register with the converging ends of the rails 20 and 2|. The rail 6| is hinged by a connector 62 to a point 63 which is provided with a groove 64 on the inner side of the rail 20 for the wheel flange, and also a groove 65 for the wheel flange on the inside of the rail 2 I. The rail 6| is carried on cross bars 66 similar to the bars ld, on a b-ase plate 61, the ends of which are welded to the ends of the rails 20 and 2| through cross bars 68 and 69. The base plate 61 is also provided with bumpers 10, similar to the bumpers 31, which are positioned to be engaged by the movable end of the rail 6|, and the cross bars are provided with shoulder brackets formed by lugs 1I, similar to the lugs 25shown in Figure 6, to stop and grip the rail 6| in either position. These shoulder brackets may be used throughout the length of the plate, and may also be used on side plates 12 and 13, as shown in Figure 9.

The rail 6I is actuated by a motor 14 on a base 15 at one sideof the trackfand the motor is provided with a pinion 16 that meshes with a gear 11 on a shaft 18. The shaft is provided with a worm 19 that meshes with a worm gear 80 that rail 6| and over the base plate 61, and the ends of rods 81 and 88 are slidably held in bearings 89 and 90 on the end of the plate. The inner ends of the rods 81 and 88 are connected to brackets 9| and 92, that are secured to the rail 6I by bolts 93, similar to the brackets 53 shown in Figure 3. The-rods 81 and 88 are provided with springs 94 and 95 that provide cushions and resiliently hold the rail centrally positioned between the bearings. The screw 8| is journaled in bearings 96 and 91 at the sides of the worm gear B0, and it will be understood that a plurality of units may be used along the rail 6| as illustrated in the design shown in Figure 1.

In this design a single reversible motor 14 is used, and as illustrated in the wiring diagram and the motor is also connected to a source of current by wires ||2 and ||3. Switches I|4 and I l5 are provided in the motor circuit which are positioned to be actuated by the solenoids to open and close the circuit as Vthe solenoids are energized, and particularly to open the circuit and stop the motor as the rail reaches the end of its movement.

The motor wires I I2 and ||3 are connected by wires ||1 and I I8 to the motors 42 and 43 of the main switch, illustrated in Fig. 1, whereby the operation of the switch and rail 6| are synchronized.

The switch is adapted to be installed in the main line or other track of a railroad, and in making the installation the ends of the rails of Y the track and spur are welded to the base plates shown in Figure 8, the motor may be actuated by push buttons |00 or I0| to run in either direction. The motor is provided with a field winding |02 and a reversing switch |03 which is actuated by solenoids |04 and |05 that are connected to switches |06 and |01 positioned at the extremey positions of the rail 6|. The switches are provided with arms |08 and |09 that are positioned to be engaged by the rail EI as it reaches the end of its movement toward each side wherein a circuit is closed to energize a solenoid associated with the switch to stop the motor and reverse the connections to the winding thereof so that when a circuit is closed again the motor will rotate in the opposite direction. Similar switches and controls are provided for the switch shown in Figure 1, which is connected in the same circuit so that the motor will automatically stop when the switch rail reaches the end of the movement, and the motor will be set to run in the opposite direction. The switches and solenoids are connected to a suitable source of power by wires ||0 and I through the cross bars as indicated at the points H6 in Figures 1 and 9, and the other parts are connected as shown and described.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a railroad switch, the combination which comprises rail sections positioned in openingsbetween spaced ends of rails, sole plates positioned under the said rail sections and rails and permanently connected to the said rails, connecting elements retaining the rail sections on the sole plates and positioned to provide lateral travel of said rail sections, a transversely disposed rod connecting said rail sections at one end, a traveller positioned on said transverse rod, springs on opposite sides of the traveller for urging the traveller to a point midway between the rails, a. threaded bar extended through the said traveller, and means rotating the said threaded bar to actuate the said rail sections.

2. In a railroad switch, the combination which comprises rail sections positioned in an opening between spaced ends of rails, sole plates posif tioned under the rail sections and rails and permanently connected to the said rails, retaining elements holding the rail sections on the sole plates and positioned to provide lateral travel of the said rail sections, a plurality of transversely disposed rods connectingthe said rail sections spaced from one of the ends thereof, springs on the said transversely disposed rods, travellers freely slidable on the transversely disposed rods and positioned between the springs, threaded bars extended through said travellers, a motor and suitable transmission means for rotating the said threaded bars by 'the motor.

. ARCHIBALD J. McLEISI-I.

References Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

